Many folks in the Western and Non-Western World have watched these Olympics Games in Beijing through their cultural prisms, often filtered through and massaged by the media "gatekeepers." And the hype being dribbled out often fail to give a fuller picture behind the athletes as they are, in the sports they excel in, and in particular, off the field.
If there is something which metaphorizes Beijing's games in terms of athletes and the countries they represent, and how they compete in and outside the game venues, it is the difference between "lightning Bolt" Jamaican Triple-Gold champion, Usain Bolt, and Michael Phelps, the great American swimmer, called "The Fish" who won a spectacular unprecedented eight (8) Gold medals in swimming.
As the poster boy of these Games, there is no question that the Lightning Bolt from Jamaica exemplies the spirit of these games and Bolt has endeared himself to the hearts of the world by his touch,for and on behalf of the Chinese kids victimized by the Sichuan Earthquake. Bolt left Michael Phelps in the dust by his classy behavior. And he knows how to reciprocate.
But let me give you my take between Lighting Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, whom I call "Great White Hope" from America.
That Usain Bolt had the heart and sensitivity to voluntarily contribute US$ 50,0000 for Chinese kids who suffered in the Sichuan Earthquake, through the Red Cross, says volumes about the character and class of this athlete from Jamaica. He has raw emotion and passion. He may clown during the competition at the Bird's Nest, thumping his chest, psyching himself in the tracks, like most competitive athletes.
But off the field, he is my true champion, ma man. He knows "how to "cho-ren," as we Chinese love to gauge the content of one's character, i.e. how to be "human."
And to me, Usain Bolt is Chinese, not a "gweillo". He has heart. He has "jing." and He has comisceration for those who are less fortunate that he is. That's very Chinese. And Bolt has "li" which many Westerners don't have and can't understand because they are too hyper-individualistic, egocentric, and self-centered. Click on to see how "classy" Bolt is to the Chinese people:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/23/content_9649842.htm
Compare our "Great White Hope" from America.... Michael Phelps. I am not taking away his glory in the Cube. He deserves his eight Golds. His mama is ecstatic. His Papa has stayed away, and stayed away from his ex-wife.
But there is a very distinct difference between Ma Man and Michael Phelps in terms of character and off-the-sports behavior. Phelps is self-indugled, and off to promote his glory to cash in on the eight Golds. And he will be laughing all the way to the bank. But has he done anything to thank his hosts, or to learn something about the city and country he is competing in, i.e. Beijing and China? Can he connect and relate to any other than White People and Europeans ?
Did he do anything for anybody else or donate to the poor Chinese kids from the Sichuan Earthquake ?
You be the judge.
Usain Bolt is ma man.
You think the Western News Media will report or publicize this touch of "class" for the Chinese kids of the Sichuan Earthquake ? You think those rascals from the Western news media ratpack at the Media Center even know anything about "li," "jing" and how to "cho-ren" ? Don't count on it.
If there is anyone whom I utterly despises in these games, it is Bruto Karolyi, the loudmouth gymnastics analyst for NBC. Karolyi is the poster boy of the surliness of the Western news sports commentators --- extremely biased, and bigoted, and very anti-China and anti-Chinese.
